Paths
by iheartShules
Summary: Being vulnerable to someone came with a cost. ::Takes place moments after 2x13:: My first attempt at this show, so it's short as I try feeling these characters out :)


_**AN: Hi, this is my first fic for this show so I started off with something small. My muse has been living in Careese-land but it might start vacationing in Deckerstar-ville (I think Deckerstar is the ship name, let me know if I got it wrong since I'm like usually the last one to know these things LOL)  
**_

 _ **This takes place moments after 2x13 so if you haven't seen the episode I guess I'd say this is spoilery.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

* * *

Chloe's heart sank to the pit of her stomach as her searching gaze took in the sight before her. Sheets covered everything. "Lucifer," she called with her breath hitching, in small hope that he was lurking in some shadow of the penthouse and would materialize before her.

But he didn't. He was gone. Lucifer left without even so much as a goodbye. That cut deeper than any physical wound could ever do. Because for whatever reason that defied logic, she trusted him, even when past painful experiences she endured dictated that she shouldn't. She never believed Lucifer would ever hurt her. But this did. This hurt.

Chloe cleared her throat and blinked back the ridiculous tears that stung the backs of her eyes as she turned to mutely walk back to the elevator, warring with herself. Why was she upset?—Lucifer didn't owe her an explanation; they were just friends and partners, and almost lovers. He hadn't been in a hurry to discuss them and now she knew why. It wasn't because she was sick. It was because he was getting the itch to leave for whatever reason; probably to go find a woman younger, more carefree, without responsibilities or inhibitions, and that didn't come with quite so much baggage as she had. She had an ex-husband and Trixie. She didn't trust well, built up walls to protect her heart because no matter how much she wished it otherwise; it bruised easily.

Perhaps he was bored with her, of being her partner, of L.A. in general, and was in need of his next big adventure. She was being sentimental over them, actually believing it was real, that she was different than the other nameless and faceless women before her; when in actuality she was just another woman he wanted to bed.

But after everything they had been through together she had figured somehow that meant she merited a courtesy call if nothing else. Her eyes scanned the empty penthouse, but she guessed not.

Chloe turned to face the elevator when the doors opened. She entered and stabbed her index finger into the button with unnecessary force to get to the bottom floor so she could leave and never come back. Humiliation burned bright through her. Her gut told her to not delve into a more than platonic relationship with Lucifer, but she chose to listen to her yearning heart.

Chloe crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin stubbornly as the doors slid closed; feeling like it was true for her relationship with Lucifer as well. She didn't know what she said or did to cause Lucifer to turn his back on her, but, maybe it was for the best. Lucifer abruptly leaving without a word reinforced a painful lesson she had thought she learned already; being vulnerable to someone came with a cost. And she was tired of losing; she was better off alone.

Chloe exited the elevator and hurried to exit the empty club. She just wanted to go home. But she stopped short of her car to turn to look back at Lux.

"Goodbye Lucifer," she whispered, refusing to acknowledge the single tear that escaped her carefully contained emotions, before turning and climbing into her car. With one final look; she turned her car on and pulled away from the club to head home to be with her little monkey.

* * *

Lucifer wished, not for the first time since he decided to leave, that he could just stop thinking about a certain detective. But he couldn't. Since the moment he threw what little belongings he wanted to take with him in the trunk of his car and sped off into the night, Chloe had been on his mind.

She had seeped into every pore of his celestial being and it angered him that he couldn't just forget about her. He couldn't forget the way her skin felt under his devilish touch or the way she tasted as they kissed. He couldn't quite forget the way she smiled because it literally stole his breath as it made her eyes even more enchanting, or how she believed and trusted in him so completely. Lucifer scowled as he felt a pang of discomfort in his chest, that suspiciously felt like guilt, for mistreating Chloe's trust in him. She didn't know she was a pawn in father's sick twisted game.

He had desperately wanted to believe that what he shared with Chloe was real. That it wasn't manufactured but genuine because the detective wanted him as much as he wanted her. But it wasn't. It was all a lie…brought to him by his father. He had foolishly believed that dear ole' dad didn't have his hand in his meeting of the detective.

Lucifer agitatedly tapped the side mirror as with each new mile he drove the greater the pang in his chest grew, along with it the fissures in his resolve to leave. He angrily pulled over to the side of the road and climbed out of the car to lean against the front hood. He patted his pockets absently searching for his cigarettes to only realize he had none.

He leaned his head back to glare up at the night sky. It was dark with some stars able to be seen between the clouds; twinkling with mischief.

"Why did you do this _dad_?" he sneered in angry hurt. "Huh?—it wasn't enough to send me down to hell and then try to manipulate me with your almighty master plan, but you had to go and take the one thing that I thought was real away from me?!" he called out. His dark eyes searched the sky as if it would offer him some answer. "Why did you put Chloe here?—in my path?!" he shouted in icy rage.

Lucifer looked down to stare blankly at the road in front of him. "Why bother?—you never answer, you miserable bastard." he said more to himself. But he had a better question to ask: why was he still here? He was on the cusp of leaving…and yet something was tethering him here. But he knew the answer. He could leave Lux and L.A. without so much of a second thought, but he couldn't leave Chloe behind. And that realization shook him.

* * *

AN: Meh, sorry this is short. I want to get their feelings, how they act, and their dialogue right before I move onto any multi-chapter story. Maybe if I try again for this ship/show it will be fluff with a hint of sexual tension because I love writing both (almost as much as smut). Or I'll try to write a followup to this. Not sure.

Anyways thanks for reading my feeble attempt at this show.


End file.
